Can You Recommend Books Similar To An Education In Malice?

Looking for dark academia romance novels with a rivals-to-lovers plot, especially those with a sapphic or gothic feel, to match that particular vibe. Any suggestions would be great!
2026-03-10 01:05:40
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12 Answers

Best Answer
TobiasLee
TobiasLee
Responder Electrician
For that dark academia vibe with a forbidden, intellectual romance, you might enjoy Gothic campus settings where power imbalances and obsessive mentorship drive the tension. I recently read 'In Love With The Dangerous Professor', where the central dynamic involves a student and her enigmatic professor entangled in a high-stakes psychological game, blurring the lines between scholarly pursuit and personal danger. The mood is dense with moral ambiguity and a constant, unsettling sense of allure.
2026-08-05 21:34:02
48
Leah
Leah
Reviewer Cashier
I’d throw 'The Lessons' by Naomi Alderman into the mix. It’s about a group of Oxford students entangled in a toxic mentorship, much like 'An Education in Malice,' but with a sharper focus on class and privilege. Alderman’s writing is crisp and devastating—you can feel the characters’ desperation leaking off the page.

If you’re into poetic cruelty, 'The Bell Jar' by Sylvia Plath isn’t academia per se, but Esther’s unraveling in a competitive literary world hits similar notes of isolation and obsession.
2026-03-12 01:05:49
7
Quincy
Quincy
Plot Explainer Electrician
Ever read 'Gentlemen and Players' by Joanne Harris? It’s a thriller set in a British boarding school, with the same cat-and-mouse tension and layered betrayals. Harris nails the insular, cutthroat environment that makes 'An Education in Malice' so addictive. For a wildcard pick, 'Vita Nostra' by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko—it’s a Russian magical realism novel about a terrifyingly surreal university. The psychological horror and cryptic lessons will stick with you long after the last page.
2026-03-12 11:19:25
17
Scarlett
Scarlett
Helpful Reader Teacher
If you loved 'An Education in Malice' for its dark academia vibes and twisted mentorship dynamics, you might enjoy 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt. It’s got that same intoxicating blend of intellectual elitism, moral decay, and obsessive relationships. The way Tartt writes about academia feels like peeling back layers of a poisoned apple—beautiful on the surface, rotten at the core.

Another gem is 'Bunny' by Mona Awad, which amps up the surrealism but keeps the razor-sharp critique of academic cliques. The protagonist’s descent into a cult-like writing workshop mirrors the psychological unraveling in 'An Education in Malice.' For something more Gothic, try 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostova—it swaps poetry for vampire lore but maintains that slow-burn tension and scholarly obsession.
2026-03-12 14:57:42
14
Isla
Isla
Insight Sharer Teacher
For a moodier, slower-paced read, 'The Luminaries' by Eleanor Catton might appeal. It’s not academia-focused, but the intricate plotting and morally ambiguous characters echo the complexity of 'An Education in Malice.' Catton’s prose is dense but rewarding, like unraveling a Victorian-era mystery. If you’re open to fantasy, 'The Starless Sea' by Erin Morgenstern has that same dreamy, bookish atmosphere where stories-within-stories blur reality.
2026-03-12 23:22:37
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I devoured 'An Education in Malice' in two sittings—it’s that gripping. The dark academia vibes are immaculate, with lush prose that feels like wandering through a Gothic library. The twisted mentorship between Laura and Carmilla is deliciously toxic, and the way the book subverts vampire tropes while keeping them eerily familiar is brilliant. If you loved 'The Secret History' but wished it had more bite (literally), this is your jam. That said, it’s not for everyone. The pacing slows in the middle to dwell on psychological tension, which might frustrate readers craving constant action. But for those who savor character studies wrapped in velvet-and-blood aesthetics, it’s a feast. My copy’s full of underlined passages—the author’s wit cuts deep.

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